Anke: Royal Tunbridge Wells

Cinema Demolition?

I'm not usually one to print press releases but I think you'll agree that this one just has to be read by all so I'm happy to share. The mega grot spot that is the Ritz Cinema is one small step closer to demolition.

The mega grot spot, the Ritz ABC Cinema.

PRESS RELEASE 25 April 2012
PROGRESS CONTINUES AT MOUNT PLEASANT ROAD CINEMA SITE.
Tenders out for demolition work and negotiations advancing well with potential occupiers - The Carlyle Group and Bellhouse Joseph, joint owners of the cinema site on Mount Pleasant Road in Tunbridge Wells, have said they hope to submit a planning application for a mixed-use scheme over the summer.
Work is currently progressing in preparation for the demolition process to begin, and on Monday 23 April 2012 a number of companies were asked to submit formal tenders for the work by mid-May. This follows the submission of an application to demolish the existing buildings in November last year, with approval from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council being received at the end of December 2011.
Edward Bellhouse, of Bellhouse Joseph, said: “Working with us on this important but complex project is a high quality team, including Professor Robert Adam of Adam Architecture. Although there may have been little visible sign of progress, there has in fact been a great deal of work going on behind the scenes since we acquired the site six months ago. This has included regular discussions with the Council, which is as keen as we are to see the site brought back into use.
“We have undertaken a detailed and time-consuming study of the site that has enabled us to understand the critical issues and how to manage constraints such as the rail tunnel underneath while at the same time meeting the needs of potential occupiers. We are now able to move forward with considerable confidence.”
Ben Du Boulay, Director at The Carlyle Group, added: “We believe strongly in the potential of this site, and are in advanced discussions with a number of possible occupiers including a supermarket and a hotel. I have been encouraged by the level of demand, and I am confident that we will be able to attract a strong roster of tenants to the development.
“We are fully committed to getting this project underway as soon as possible and have made good progress in the six months that we have owned the site. We look forward to submitting our full plans over the summer. “Before that happens we will be seeking feedback on our proposals from local residents, statutory bodies and a range of other interested parties.”

Well, there we go, we are getting there, or is this just to keep us quiet for a while? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. More news to follow so stay tuned! A huge thank you to Rachel at Maxim for the heads-up too.

Open Plea to New Cinema Owners

It's not often I am taken to thrust my opinion onto you all but I think that this particular topic is worthy.

The Ritz Cinema site has lain empty now for over ten years. A whole decade! Then out of the blue this month David Jukes released his fantastic vision for what he wanted for the site. Mr Jukes's 6,200sqm cultural hub made from sandstone using local rock formations as inspiration was designed to include a state-of-the-art museum, art gallery and theatre together with cafés, restaurants, a sculpture garden and water features. The war memorial would be given its own remembrance garden and there would be plenty of room for a council chamber, offices and meeting rooms.

David Juke's concept drawing of the Ritz Cinema site.

I can not begin to tell you how thoroughly delighted I was when I saw Mr Jukes's drawings and plans, for this was exactly what was in my head and my dreams for the site. I especially liked his idea of moving the war memorial to a more dignified setting, after all where it sits now was never the original proposed location for it. I was full of the joys of Spring just waiting for the Council to rush in and buy the site and begin work.

Then later this month we learn that the site had been sold for the fourth time to a joint venture of The Carlyle Group and developer Bellhouse Joseph. This great announcement was followed a few days later by the dull news that they'd continue with the previous owner's predictable scheme for shops, hotel and offices.

This is not what we need. Please listen Mr Joint Venture, we want you to put Tunbridge Wells on the map, and shops, hotels and offices just aren't going to do that. A cultural hub will.

The Sold sign goes up on the Ritz Cinema.

We don't need any more hotels, this is plainly obvious with the amount we have catering for all tastes and pockets in town already.
We don't need any more shops, there is plenty enough to cater for every whim of the shopper, except the possibility of more bookshops but this would be catered for in the cultural hub.
We don't need any more offices, there is plenty of space around town and many places empty that still need to be utilised.

We want Tunbridge Wells to be known as THE place in the South East to come to experience the best of culture and the arts.

We need to attract tourists and visitors to the town centre, and as we currently stand in 2011, unless they are coming for shopping, there isn't much of a draw for your average visitor.

We want David Jukes's cultural hub.

If planners are insistent on there being another chain hotel with offices then why not make the Civic Centre into such a place? Perhaps TWBC could do a deal on swapping the Civic Centre for a few new shiny offices in the cultural hub? Then they could move the entire Art Gallery, Museum, Library and Assembly Hall out of the Civic Centre and into the new cultural hub, and then move the Police Station into the last remaining Calverley Terrace building to the right. Then all that space can be renovated for as many hotel bedrooms as you can cram in, there is plenty of parking out the back and there is the very handy small road serving it all outside for taxis to drop off and pick up easily.

An aerial view of the Ritz Cinema site.

I'm not really poo-pooing the plans of the new buyers, to be honest they haven't really set in stone what they want yet, and yes of course I want something to be done with the site but feel that the current planning application as it stood from the previous owners is just not right. I am therefore pleading to the new owners to completely forget the office/hotel/shops route and go take lunch with David Jukes and probe his brain for ideas.

This is important, this could shape Tunbridge Wells for the next several generations. We want David Jukes's cultural hub. I'll even get my hard hat and help build it!

Who's with me? p.s. normal service will resume shortly.

Ritz Cinema Update (Sort Of)

In case you have missed it, the former Ritz ABC Cinema is, well it's still standing there actually.  But, to make us all feel better why not appreciate the poor building for what it is, it won't be there much longer hopefully so why not take another look at it from another angle.  Click here to follow my Ritz ABC Cinema Project where I hope to document the demise, demolition and construction on the site.

Click the image above to see the cinema in full large size panoramic glory.

Let's hope there is some progress soon to take some more photographs.

Ritz ABC Cinema Project

I’ve written about the legend that is the Ritz ABC Cinema before but never really photographed it. So, to begin documenting the great structure before its destruction, I have begun a new extension to this blog which you can visit here.

I thought the history books could benefit from having a record of the whole demolition and construction process. I’d love to know what you think of the project, you can let me know by leaving a comment either at the bottom of this post or on the Cinema Project blog itself.

Remember that the best way to keep up with all updates to this blog and the cinema project is by following my Twitter, there's always lots of exclusive information there too.

ABC to become XYZ

Been a bit unwell and housebound this week but, of course, the Wells was never far from my mind. My wife and I were reminiscing the other night about our time before we lived in Tunbridge Wells, yes I can't bear to think of it either. Many years ago we visited on a day trip just to be tourists and look around.

That one day out turned into a regular day out as we used to drive many miles down the motorway every day of our weekend just to walk around and pretend we lived here, sometimes splashing out on staying in a hotel to wake up in the Wells. It's actually bringing tears to my eyes as I write this. I remember once waking up at about 5am to watch the sun rise from the top floor bedroom window of the Russell Hotel, just wishing for the day when I could watch the sun rise from the window of my own Wellsian bedroom.

Well today we do live here, so its a very rare opportunity that we actually would stay in one of the many hotels that we have, the last time being our wedding night. But these wonderful buildings shouldn't be overlooked by local residents for they provide a feast for the eyes and I will be looking at some of them more closely in the near future. I'm mentioning this hotel theme now, because as of Wednesday it looks as if Tunbridge Wells is going to be the proud owners of a new hotel in the near future, what with the revelation of the new buildings for the former ABC Cinema site atop Mount Pleasant. More images and the new plans can be found here.

Styled to resemble the street scenery of The Pantiles, with a new public square aping Bath Square, courtyards and colonnaded walkways. In my opinion its a nice idea, opening up the Church Road crossroads by creating wider walkways and nice public areas with views. What do you think of the new plans, do you like it? Also, don't miss out on the exciting competition below!